Clasp



May 14, 1940. w. s. HUNTER c LAsP Filed 4Feb. 18, 1939 Patented May 14, 1940 CLASP Walter S. Painter, Middlebury, Conn., assigner to Waterbury Buckle Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 18, 1939, Serial No. 257,160 6 Claims. (Cl. 2li-258) This invention relates to clasps and more especially to clasps of a type suitable for use with garment supporters.

One obj ect of the present invention is to provide an improved gripper-frame or housing-construcf peculiar form for the purpose.

Y Still another object of this invention is'to provide, in a clasp of the character referred to, an improved interacting connection between a gripper-actuating lever and the wall of the vframe or housing in which the lever is mounted.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of frame or box-like housing which in large measure adds to the ornamental appearance of the clasp.

With the above and other objects in View, as will appear to those skilled in they art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the present disclosurewhich are novel over the prior art.

In the drawing, which represents an adaptation of a preferred form of the invention to a garment supporter:

, Fig. 1 is a View 1n from; elevation of the clasp when in use;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical medial section of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section' on the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a vertical medial section similar to Fig. 3, with the gripper parts shown in releaseY position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on the line t-t of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the U-loop gripper-spring detached;

Fig.,8 is an enlargedperspective view of the gripper-frame or box-like housing; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of -the gripper-actuating lever detached.

The improved clasp herein chosen for illustrating the present invention comprises, with the gripper device to be hereinafter described, a gripper-frame or -housing of box-like form, generally designated by the reference character lll, and

having a rear frameor housing-Wall, generally designated by the reference character ll, and a front frameor housing-wall generally designated by the reference character l2. The rear and front frameor housing-walls Il and l2 are integrally united at the top by oppositely-arranged side-plates i3 and 14 and b-y an arcuate upper end wall i5. v The rear frameor housing-wall Il comprises a back plate HS having its inner surface Ita constructed and arranged to provide a spring-seat for the U-loop gripper-spring to be hereinafter referred to. As especially well shown in Fig. 8, the rear iranieor housing-wall Il is provided below the side-plates l3'and M with lateral flanges El, and at the lower end thereof with a combined spring-retaining and gripper-flange I8, all of which ilanges are presented forwardly from the back plate I6.

The front frameor housing-wall l2 comprises a iront plate i9 provided with lateral iianges 23-29, and a longitudinal opening 2l with which the gripper-engaging arm of a gripper-actuating lever to be hereinafter referred to, interts when the gripper device is in release position. At the lower end of opening 2l, the4 front plate I9 is provided with laterally-spaced trunnion-sockets 'Z2-22 to receive oppositely-presented trunnions on the said gripper-actuating lever, in the manner to be hereinafter described.

Disposed within the frameor box-like' housing l, as shown especially well in Figs. 3 and 5, is a U-loop gripper-spring, which is generally designated by the reference character 23, the said gripper-spring comprising a rear gripper-spring arm 24 seated on the gripper-seat I 5a; a front gripper-spring arm 25 which, in the release rposition of the gripper device, is in seated engagement with the inner surface of the front plate i9 of the front frameor housing-wall l2; and an intermediate return-bend it which is integrally formed with the said front and rear spring-arms 25 and 24.

The gripper-actuating lever, which is generally designated by the reference character 2, is particularly well shown in Fig. 9 and comprises an operating-arm 23 provided with a nger-grip 29 and a gripper-engaging arm Si? which is connected to the operating-arm 28 by an angular bend 3l. The gripper-actuating lever 2l is prof-` vided with oppositely-presented trunnions 32-32 which project from the lateral edges of the gripper-engaging arm 33 adjacent the angular bend 3l. The said trunnions are thus arranged to be pivotally mounted within the trunnion-sockets 22-22, and as show-n especially Well in Fig. 5, in the release position of the gripper device, the gripper-engaging arm 36 is constructed and ar- Y ranged to substantially ll the opening 2| in front plate I9, with its free end 34 in abutment with the marginal-stop formed by the upper edge 35 of the opening 2|, the operating-arm 28 extending outwardly from the said front plate I9 at right angles thereto.

As shown especially well in Fig. 3, when the operating-arm 28 is moved into engagement with` the front plate I9, the gripper-engaging arm 36 is in slidable engagement at its free end with the front gripper-spring arm 25. During this movement of the gripper-actuating lever, the said lever is constrained against lateral displacement by means of abutment-shoulders 33-33 adjacent the trunnions 32-32, the said abutmentshoulders being in movable engagement with the inner edges of the trunnion-sockets 22-22.

By an inspectionof Fig. 5, it will be seen that in the release position of the gripper device, the free end 34 of the gripper-engaging arm 30, due to its endwise abutment with the marginal-edge stop-shoulder 35 at the upper edge of opening 2l, prevents the longitudinal displacement of the gripper-engaging arm 30 with a resulting dislodgement of the trunnions 32--32 from their sockets 22--22 by the wedging-engagement of the said trunnions with the front gripper-spring arm 25.

As shown especially well in Figs. 3, 6 and 8, the box-like housing I6 for the gripper is provided with a terminal-compartment 36 which is completely closed except at the bottom by back plate I6, front plate I9, side plates, I3 and I4, and the arcuate upper end-wall I5.

Referring more especially to Figs. 5 and 6, it Will be seen that in the release position of the gripper device, the rear gripper-spring arm 24 is held against lateral displacement on the springseat I6a by the lateral-flanges I1-I'I of the rear frameor housing-wall Il, while the front gripper-spring arm 25 is similarly retained against lateral displacement by the lateral-flanges 20-20 of the front frameor housing-Wall I2. -At the same time, the rear gripper-spring arm 24 is constructed and arranged to be substantially in endwise abutment at its lower end with the combined spring-retaining and gripper-flange I8 on the rear frameor housing-wall II. Furthermore, the several parts are preferably designed to locate the return-bend 26 of the U-loop gripper-spring 23 in abutment with the inner surface of the arcuate upper end wall I5 of the box-like housing I0, as shown especially well in Fig. 6.

In consequence, as the front gripper-spring arm 25 is moved by the gripper-actuating lever 21 to its gripping position, as shown especially well in Fig. 3, it is securely constrained in its movement by the substantially-rigid engagement of the intermediate return-bend 26 at its opposite edges with the arcuate upper end wall I5 and by the retention of the rear gripperspring arm 24 in secure engagement with its seat I6a. It will be seen, furthermore, that while the rear gripper-spring arm 24 is confined by the lateral flanges Il throughout substantially its entire length, the return-bend 26 is engaged at opposite sides and in substantially the medial plane of the clasp by the arcuate upper end wall I5. Under these conditions, the wedging engagement exerted by the gripper-engaging arm 30 of the gripper-actuating lever 2l across the entire width of the front gripper-spring arm 25 adjacent to the free fabric-gripping end thereof, provides an exceedingly effective gripping pressure upon the fabric or garment.

As shown especially well in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, the clasp is provided with a suspension-loop, generally designated by the reference character 3l, and comprising a transverse suspension-bar 38; inclined side-reaches 39 with inturned terminals 40 which pivotally nterengage with the side plates I3, I4 of the gripper-frame or boxvlike housing within socket-openings 4I--4I formed therein.

According to the embodied form of the invention shown in the drawing, the suspensionloop 31 is mounted in a loop 42 of fabric such, for example, as the strap of a suspender. It is to be noted, in this connection, that by gripping the loop 42 between the thumb and rst finger of the right hand, with the finger pressing against the back housing-wall II, or by gripping the suspension-loop 31 without the use of the loop 42, an effective grip may be secured upon the clasp while the gripper-actuating lever 21 is being manipulated by the left hand.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential char-` acteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim: y

1. A clasp, comprising: a rear wall; a front wall; opposite side walls extending between and integrally uniting the said rear and front walls; said side walls being provided with coaxiallyaligned suspension-sockets; an arcuate upper end wall integrally-formed with all of the said walls and forming therewith a compartment which is closed except at the bottom; a suspension-loop' having its terminals mounted in the said sockets; and a U-loop gripper-spring mounted between the said front and rear walls and having the return-bend intermediate portion thereof arranged within the said compartment.

2. A clasp, comprising: a gripper-supporting frame having a back plate, a front plate, opposite side plates integrally uniting the rear-end portions of said back and front plates, and an arcuate upper-end Wall forming with the said back, front and side plates, a compartment which is closed except at the bottom; and a continuous gripper-spring including 'a rear gripper-spring arm seated in the back plate, a front gripperspring arm seated in the front plate, anda return-bend intermediately connecting the said gripper-spring arms and arranged within the said compartment. l

3. A clasp, comprising: a box-like housing bifuroated at its lower end to provide a gripperopening intermediately of the front and rear walls thereof, the front Wall of said housing being provided with an opening extending therethrough adjacent its lower end and with laterally-spaced trunnion-sockets at the lower end of said opening; a U-loop gripper-spring having a rear gripper-spring arm seated within the boxlike housing at the rear, a front gripper-spring arm seated within the said housing at the front and extending past the opening formed therein, and an intermediate return-bend disposed within and at the top of said housing; a gripperactuating lever having an operating-arm provided with a linger-grip at its outer end and a gripper-engaging arm constructed and arranged to substantially fill the said front-wall opening, in the open position of the gripper, and having its free edge in endwise abutment with the upper marginal edge of the said front-wall opening, said gripper-actuating lever-being provided with oppositely-presented trunnions mounted in the said trunnion-sockets, the said gripper-actuating lever being of the bent-lever type to effect a rearward displacement of the front gripper-spring arm by the displacement of the operating arm of said lever into iiatwise position on the fronty wall of said housing.l

4. In a clasp, the combination with a box-like gripper-housing, comprising: vertically-spaced back and front plates; oppositely-arranged side plates integrally uniting the upper-end portions of said back and front plates; an arcuate upper end wall integrally-formed With the said front, back and side plates of the box-like housing; the said back plate being provided with a longitudinal spring-seat, lateral anges presented forwardly on opposite sides of said spring-seat, and a combined spring-retaining and gripperflange at the lower end thereof; the said front plate being provided with a, lever-receiving opening adjacent the lower end thereof and with laterally-spaced trunnion-sockets at the lower end of said opening; of a U-loop gripper-spring comprising a rear gripper-spring arm mounted on i the said spring-seat in the back plate; a front which is constructed and arranged to be retained Within the said lever-receiving opening and in endwise abutment with theupper marginal edge thereof by the said front gripper-spring arm in the open position of the gripper.

5. A suspension-clasp, comprising: a ,frontf plate; a back-plate provided with a gripperspring retaining-flange at its lower end; opposite side-plates extending between the said frontand back-plates at the upper ends thereof and provided with coaxial suspension-sockets; an arcuate end-wall extending between the said sideplates at the top; a suspension-loop having inturned terminals pivotally mounted in thesaid sockets; a U-loop gripper-spring comprising a central return-bend portionv in edgewisev abutment with and subtending a central portion of the said arcuate end-wall, a rear gripper-spring its lower end in engagement with the saidgripper-spring retaining-flange at the lower end of the said back-plate, anda front gripper-spring 15y arm seated `on the said back-plate and having l f,

upper end of the said gripper-supporting frame,

the said opposite side-plates being provided. with coaxial suspension-sockets, and an arcuate 'endwall'extending between the said `side-plates at the top; of -a suspension-loop having inturned terminals pivotally mounted in the said sockets; a U-loop gripper-spring disposed between vthesaid frontand'back-plates of the clasp and having the return-bend portion thereof extending about the inturned terminal of the said suspensionloop and in edgewise abutment with the said arcuate end-wall in centrally-disposed position with respect to the said side-plates ofthe said gripper-supporting frame; and a gripper-actuating lever mounted in the said front-plate and in actuating engagement with one of the gripper-v. i

arms of the said U-loop gripper-spring.

WALTER S. PAIN-TER. 

